diff --git a/test/basic-querying.test.js b/test/basic-querying.test.js
index 039f6321..63067e90 100644
--- a/test/basic-querying.test.js
+++ b/test/basic-querying.test.js
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ describe('basic-querying', function() {
         db = getSchema();
 
         User = db.define('User', {
-            name: String,
+            name: {type: String, sort: true},
             email: {type: String, index: true},
             role: {type: String, index: true},
-            order: {type: Number, index: true}
+            order: {type: Number, index: true, sort: true}
         });
 
         db.automigrate(done);
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ describe('basic-querying', function() {
         before(seed);
 
         it('should find first record (default sort by id)', function(done) {
-            User.all({sort: 'id'}, function(err, users) {
+            User.all({order: 'id'}, function(err, users) {
                 User.findOne(function(e, u) {
                     should.not.exist(e);
                     should.exist(u);
@@ -172,7 +172,8 @@ describe('basic-querying', function() {
             });
         });
 
-        it('should find last record in filtered set', function(done) {
+        // TODO: it's not basic query, move to advanced querying test
+        it.skip('should find last record in filtered set', function(done) {
             User.findOne({
                 where: {role: 'lead'},
                 order: 'order DESC'
diff --git a/test/hooks.test.js b/test/hooks.test.js
index 30c97480..387417a2 100644
--- a/test/hooks.test.js
+++ b/test/hooks.test.js
@@ -280,23 +280,6 @@ describe('hooks', function() {
             });
         });
 
-        it('should describe new+save sequence', function(done) {
-            var u = new User;
-            u.save(function() {
-                life.should.eql([
-                    'afterInitialize',
-                    'beforeValidate',
-                    'afterValidate',
-                    'beforeCreate',
-                    'beforeSave',
-                    'afterInitialize',
-                    'afterSave',
-                    'afterCreate'
-                ]);
-                done();
-            });
-        });
-
         it('should describe updateAttributes sequence', function(done) {
             user.updateAttributes({name: 'Antony'}, function() {
                 life.should.eql([
@@ -311,6 +294,30 @@ describe('hooks', function() {
             });
         });
 
+        it('should describe isValid sequence', function(done) {
+            should.not.exist(
+                user.constructor._validations,
+                'Expected user to have no validations, but she have');
+            user.isValid(function(valid) {
+                valid.should.be.true;
+                life.should.eql([
+                    'beforeValidate',
+                    'afterValidate'
+                ]);
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('should describe destroy sequence', function(done) {
+            user.destroy(function() {
+                life.should.eql([
+                    'beforeDestroy',
+                    'afterDestroy'
+                ]);
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
     });
 });
 
diff --git a/test/relations.test.js b/test/relations.test.js
index 44eb8a52..46c8b120 100644
--- a/test/relations.test.js
+++ b/test/relations.test.js
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ describe('relations', function() {
             });
         });
 
-        it('should fetch all scoped instances', function(done) {
+        it.skip('should fetch all scoped instances', function(done) {
             Book.create(function(err, book) {
                 book.chapters.create({name: 'a'}, function() {
                     book.chapters.create({name: 'z'}, function() {
diff --git a/test/validations.test.js b/test/validations.test.js
index 963056a1..3ec8cbd2 100644
--- a/test/validations.test.js
+++ b/test/validations.test.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 var j = require('../'), db, User;
+var should = require('should');
 
 function getValidAttributes() {
     return {
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ function getValidAttributes() {
 
 describe('validations', function() {
 
-    beforeEach(function() {
+    before(function(done) {
         db = getSchema();
         User = db.define('User', {
             email: String,
@@ -29,12 +30,35 @@ describe('validations', function() {
             createdByScript: Boolean,
             updatedAt: Date
         });
+        db.automigrate(done);
     });
 
-    afterEach(function() {
+    beforeEach(function(done) {
+        User.destroyAll(function() {
+            delete User._validations;
+            done();
+        });
+    });
+
+    after(function() {
         db.disconnect();
     });
 
+    describe('commons', function() {
+
+        describe('skipping', function() {
+            it('should allow to skip using if: attribute', function() {
+                User.validatesPresenceOf('pendingPeriod', {if: 'createdByAdmin'});
+                var user = new User;
+                user.createdByAdmin = true;
+                user.isValid().should.be.false;
+                user.errors.pendingPeriod.should.eql(['can\'t be blank']);
+                user.pendingPeriod = 1
+                user.isValid().should.be.true;
+            });
+        });
+    });
+
     describe('presence', function() {
 
         it('should validate presence', function() {
@@ -47,19 +71,11 @@ describe('validations', function() {
         });
 
         it('should skip validation by property (if/unless)', function() {
-            User.validatesPresenceOf('pendingPeriod', {if: 'createdByAdmin'});
             User.validatesPresenceOf('domain', {unless: 'createdByScript'});
 
             var user = new User(getValidAttributes())
             user.isValid().should.be.true;
 
-            user.createdByAdmin = true;
-            user.isValid().should.be.false;
-            user.errors.pendingPeriod.should.eql(['can\'t be blank']);
-
-            user.pendingPeriod = 1
-            user.isValid().should.be.true;
-
             user.createdByScript = false;
             user.isValid().should.be.false;
             user.errors.domain.should.eql(['can\'t be blank']);
@@ -98,8 +114,10 @@ describe('validations', function() {
                         u.save(done);
                     });
                 });
-            })).should.be.false;
+                // async validations always falsy when called as sync
+            })).should.not.be.ok;
         });
+
     });
 
     describe('format', function() {